Acclaimed Dancer Alice Sheppard Set for Emory Disability Studies Initiative Series

Emory Dance and the Emory Disability Studies Initiative present "Embodied Virtuosity: Dances from Disability Culture" on Thursday, February 13 at 7 p.m. in the dance studio of the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts.

In this unique event, internationally renowned contemporary dancer Alice Sheppard will perform two solo pieces, calling into question what we mean by "virtuosity" when we talk about disabled dancers and dance. These pieces, performed from a wheelchair, highlight an innovative and compelling form of contemporary dance.

In 2004, while still learning to navigate her newly-acquired wheelchair, Sheppard witnessed a performance by disabled dancer Homer Avila at the Modern Language Associations Conference on Disability Studies held at Emory. As a result, she left her career in academia to pursue dance, studying ballet and modern techniques for disabled dancers. In her accompanying talk, Sheppard will consider the importance of beauty, disability history, and the world of disability arts and culture.

This event is free and open to the public and will be made accessible through real-time open captioning.

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